1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic key system for a vehicle and particularly, to a remote control system for automatically locking and unlocking the door(s) of a vehicle in radio control. More particularly, it relates to an electronic key system for a vehicle for use with a remote control system for automatically locking the door(s) of the vehicle when the user (the driver) carrying an electronic or entry key (equipped with a portable transmitter/receiver) assigned with a specific code dedicated to the vehicle departs a predetermined distance from the vehicle and automatically unlocking the door(s) when he or she steps in the distance from the vehicle, characteristically arranged for starting and stopping the engine of the vehicle with giving the user or driver no unfamiliar feeling.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional key systems include a type for inserting and turning a mechanical key, which serves as the ignition key, in a key cylinder to unlock the door of a vehicle and a type for locking and unlocking the door by a remote control key which also serves as the ignition key and has a button switch provided on a knob thereof for transmitting a key specific code towards a key cylinder of the door for allowing the vehicle to identify the code.
However, an increasing number of vehicle have been stolen regardless of such conventional key systems. As the mechanical arrangements or key cylinders of the conventional key systems may easily be broken, they tend toward to be replaced by any electronic door locking arrangement operated through code identification in a radio transmission system.
For example, some of such conventional xe2x80x9cwelcome functionxe2x80x9d based electronic key system for vehicle doors are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publications (Heisei)5-106376 and (Heisei)10-25939, in which a transmitter mounted on a vehicle is provided for intermittently transmitting a response demand signal having a predetermined communication area and, when receiving a signal responding to the response demand signal from an entry key which is carried by the user of a vehicle and moves into the predetermined communication area, determining whether the response signal is valid (regular) or not (welcome code examination). When the response signal has been determined to be valid, the door(s) of the vehicle is automatically unlocked. On the contrary, when the response signal is not valid or when the entry key stays out of the predetermined communication area and the vehicle-mounted transmitter receives no response signal, the door remains locked.
Accordingly, when the user of the vehicle carrying the entry key simply walks away from the predetermined range of the vehicle, the door of the vehicle can automatically be locked without paying any attention to or operating the entry key. When the user comes into the range, the door can automatically be unlocked. This requires no boresome actions of unlocking the door for riding the vehicle as well as contributes to the prevention of failing to lock door(s), and of vehicle theft.
Such electronic key systems are more difficult in fabricating their copies than the conventional mechanical key systems and provide automatic locking with electrically driven movements and can hence be significantly improved in the protection against vehicle theft.
While the engine is commonly started by inserting and turning a key in the ignition key cylinder, a card-like electronic key may be used for addressing the code identification in combination with a push-button start switch which is switched on when the code identification is valid to start the engine. Such a characteristic system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (Heisei)3-21575. As the engine can be started by pressing the button switch, known troublesome actions including recognizing the position of the ignition key cylinder into which an ignition key is inserted, inserting the ignition key into the ignition key cylinder, and turning the ignition key maybe eliminated. Accordingly, the start of the engine will be much facilitated.
However, since the use of the push-button switch for starting the engine may annoy a considerable number of users or drivers with giving an unfamiliar feeling, a favorable improvement in the push-button switch starting system will be desired for gaining the popularity.
It is an object of the present invention, in view of the above aspects of the prior art, to provide an electronic key system for a vehicle of a type for starting the engine by pressing a button switch, particularly which is operable at the mechanical movements thus easing the user or driver of an unfamiliar feeling and can be improved in the operability and the protection against vehicle theft.
As a first feature of the present invention, an electronic key system for a vehicle arranged to control the action of vehicle-mounted apparatuses through code identification based on radio communications with a portable electronic key comprises a means for determining whether the code identification is valid or not, a start switch operated to be turned on for starting an engine of the vehicle when the determining means determines that the code identification is valid, a rotary switch accompanied with a manually operated knob and arranged for controlling the action of vehicle-mounted apparatuses according to the position of the rotary switch, and an auto-turn mechanism arranged to automatically turn the rotary switch to a position for enabling the action of the vehicle-mounted apparatuses when the code identification is valid.
As a second feature of the present invention, the electronic key system comprises an auto-turn mechanism arranged to automatically turn the rotary switch to a position for enabling the action of the vehicle-mounted apparatuses when the code identification is valid and the start switch is turned on.
According to the first and second features of the present invention, the engine can be started by simply pressing the button (switch) and stopped by the same familiar mechanical movement as with a conventional ignition key. As a result, the key system allows the user or driver to operate with having no unfamiliar feeling and can be improved in the operability and the protection against vehicle theft. Also, according to the first feature, the period for starting the engine can be minimized, hence improving the operability.
As a third feature of the present invention, the electronic key system comprises a mechanism for physically locking the manually operated knob for the rotary switch, wherein when the rotary switch is held to the position for disabling the action of the vehicle-mounted apparatuses and the code identification is valid, the manually operated knob is unlocked and separated from the rotary switch.
According to the third feature of the present invention, the manually operated knob is portable and can replace a main portable electronic key, for example, which has a fault. As a result, the key system can eliminate inconvenience caused by the fault, thus improving in the utility.
As a fourth feature of the present invention, the electronic key system comprises while the manually operated knob has a transmitter for transmitting a second code, a receiver for receiving the second code, wherein a combination of the identification of the second code and the turning action of the manually operated knob can enable the action of the vehicle-mounted apparatuses.
According to the fourth feature of the present invention, the engine or the vehicle-mounted apparatuses can be enabled by inserting and turning the manually operated knob to the relevant positions in the rotary switch after the identification of the second code is valid. In any emergency case, the manually operated knob can act as a valet key identical to the conventional ignition key, thus improving the utility of the system. Also, the action of the vehicle-mounted apparatuses is enabled by a combination of the code identification and the turning movement of the manually operated knob, whereby the system can highly be improved in the protection against vehicle theft.
As a fifth feature of the present invention, the electronic key system comprises a parking state detecting means for detecting a parking state of the vehicle, and a retracting mechanism for retracting the manually operated knob inwardly of a key cylinder of the rotary switch, wherein the manually operated knob can be released from the retracting mechanism and projected from the key cylinder when the code identification is valid and can be retracted inwardly of the key cylinder by the action of the retracting mechanism when the engine stops and the parking state is detected.
According to the fifth feature of the present invention, the manually operated knob when is kept in the vehicle can be addressed inwardly and accommodated deep in the key cylinder. This prevents the manually operated knob from being accessed by any other personnel and can hence improve the protection against vehicle theft.